由花蓮縣政府舉辦的首屆「原住民時尚設計新秀大賞」，即日起至2月16日(五)18時，開始報名徵件。競賽分為社會組及學生組，歡迎全台所有原住民族人踴躍報名參加，總獎金高達40萬元。
首屆競賽以「母語」為指定主題，鼓勵每位創作者能「衣」起說族語，在設計中融入愛、大自然、族群文化等感動。
花蓮縣政府表示，花蓮是台灣族群最多元的城市，擁有台灣16個原住民族群中的六族，原住民人數更是全台最多。
這些族群傳承千年、擁有多樣獨特的族群圖騰，以及不同母語、生活故事、服飾顏色、美食、生活工藝、思維、態度、建築等豐富元素，都是流行趨勢上最豐富多彩的創作素材，讓花蓮成為天生時尚城市，也是原住民族時尚產業發展的最佳基地。
為了鼓勵更多原住民新秀發揮創作才華和活力，花蓮縣政府特別舉辦這次徵選活動，希望能培育更多原住民時尚產業設計新星。
縣府原住民行政處說明，去年花蓮縣主辦第一屆原民時尚產業發展論壇，由花蓮撒奇萊雅族知名設計師吳秀梅擔任發起人，邀請到阿美族藝術家優席夫、排灣族設計師沙布喇‧安德烈、排灣族設計師阮志軍、知名服飾品牌「花生騷」創辦人、太魯閣族林德拉等原住民傑出時尚產業名人，共同在台灣首屆的「原民時尚產業論壇」中分享自己的經驗，也提出了許多建言，這是非常珍貴的資產。
同時也在主編盧淑芬、文化藝術策展人黃郁倫、勞動部服裝設計創客基地經理林紫惠、區塊鏈數位藝術「太空鱷魚」共同創辦人蔡沛樂等跨域、跨界、跨族群的時尚名人參與下，激盪出相當大的火花，跨出了花蓮發展原民時尚產業成功第一步。
縣府強調，原住民族文化是足以引領時尚的一個標竿，也符合時尚從過去到現在的創意趨勢源頭。今年花蓮縣政府以「母語」做為主題，秉持著「共創」及「全新、傳承」的核心價值與概念，強調Art Fashion/ indigenous Languagesh(母語→符號→時尚→傳承→永續) ，讓母語成為符號進入時尚/傳達傳承才得以永續族群及文化，並邀請包括花蓮在地工藝師族人、知名藝術家、還有跨族群當代設計師們，一起來跨域共同創作，讓花蓮成為充滿文化魅力與文化時尚的重要城市，落實「當在地遇見國際，當傳統遇見現代」的美麗願景。
縣府原民處部落經濟科科長鄧凱倫表示，為了落實原民時尚產業向下扎根，培育新的設計工藝人才，花蓮縣政府向全台所有原住民族人發出邀請，只要具備原住民身分，不分縣市、科系、年齡等，都能報名參加「原住民時尚設計新秀大賞」，有機會贏得首獎10萬元、總獎金40萬元的獎金，作品還將在4月份花蓮縣政府舉辦南島布飾藝術節活動中，由專業模特兒以走秀方式來展出，讓世界看見原住民時尚的魅力與美好。
(花蓮縣政府廣告)
The first "Indigenous Fashion Design New Talent Award," organized by the Hualien County Government, is now open for submissions until 6:00 PM on February 16. The competition is divided into a Social Category and a Student Category, welcoming participation from indigenous people across Taiwan. The total prize money is up to NT$400,000.
The inaugural competition focuses on the theme of "Art Fashion/Indigenous Language" encouraging creators to incorporate the elements of love, nature, and indigenous culture into their designs and express their native languages through clothing.
The Hualien County Government emphasizes that Hualien is the most ethnically diverse city in Taiwan, home to six out of the sixteen indigenous tribes in Taiwan, making it the city with the largest indigenous population. These tribes carry on millennia-old traditions, possessing diverse elements such as tribal totems, different languages, life stories, clothing colors, cuisine, craftsmanship, thinking, attitudes, and architecture, making Hualien a naturally fashionable city and an ideal base for the development of indigenous fashion industries.
To encourage more emerging indigenous talents to showcase their creativity and vitality, the Hualien County Government is organizing this selection event, hoping to nurture more rising stars in the indigenous fashion industry.
The Indigenous Affairs Department of the county government explained that last year, Hualien County hosted the first Indigenous Fashion Industry Development Forum. Renowned Hualien Amis designer Wu Hsiu-mei served as the initiator. The forum invited outstanding figures in the indigenous fashion industry, including Amis artist Yusif, Paiwan designer Shabu La Andre, Paiwan designer Ruan Chih-chun, and the founder of the well-known fashion brand "Peanut Sa," Taroko Lin Delra. These indigenous fashion industry celebrities, along with cross-disciplinary, cross-border, and cross-tribal fashion figures such as editor Lu Shu-fen, cultural and art curator Huang Yu-lun, and blockchain digital art "Space Crocodile" co-founder Cai Pei-le, participated. Their collaboration sparked significant insights, marking the successful first step in the development of Hualien's indigenous fashion industry.
The county government emphasizes that indigenous culture is a benchmark capable of leading the fashion industry and aligns with the creative trends from the past to the present. This year, the Hualien County Government has chosen "Mother Tongue" as the theme, upholding the core values and concepts of "co-creation" and "innovation, inheritance." The focus is on Art Fashion/Indigenous Languages (Indigenous Language → Symbols → Fashion → Inheritance → Sustainability). By turning the mother tongue into symbols that enter the fashion world and convey the essence of inheritance, the goal is to sustain tribes and cultures. Local craftsmen, well-known artists, and contemporary designers from various tribes in Hualien have been invited to collaborate across disciplines, making Hualien a city full of cultural charm and cultural fashion, embodying the beautiful vision of "meeting the international in the local, and blending tradition with modernity."
Karen Teng, Head of the Tribal Economy Division of the Indigenous Affairs Department, stated that to solidify the roots of indigenous fashion industry development and cultivate new design and craft talents, the Hualien County Government extends an invitation to all indigenous people nationwide. Regardless of county or city, academic background, or age, anyone with indigenous identity is welcome to participate in the "Indigenous Fashion Design New Talent Award." Participants have the chance to win the first prize of NT$100,000 and a total prize of NT$400,000. The selected works will also be showcased during the South Island Fabric Arts Festival organized by the Hualien County Government in April, featuring professional models walking the runway to showcase the charm and beauty of indigenous fashion to the world.
(Hualien County Government AD)
